Veterans cheer Trudeau’s promise of new day in pensions, benefits

Veterans are celebrating Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau’s promise to reinstate lifelong pensions for those wounded while serving and improve relations between Ottawa and Canada’s former soldiers if he’s elected prime minister Oct. 19.

Ron Marsh, a 69-year-old Belleville resident who was a member of the the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment for five years, called Trudeau’s campaign platform on the issue, announced today, “unbelievable” and one that “we have been waiting for.”

“It’s hard to believe it could actually happen…if he happens to get in as prime minister. Someone had to turn around this mean spiritedness that we’ve had for the past ten years,” said Marsh.

At a campaign press conference in Belleville Monday morning, Trudeau said that after “10 years of neglect” under the Conservative government, he would implement changes immediately. Those changes would include a new fund to cover post-secondary education costs for veterans, two new veterans’ care centres and more support for the families of veterans.

“For 10 years, Stephen Harper has been nickle-and-diming our veterans, lacking the respect and the support that Canadians have earned through service to country and that’s something that we have to fix as a priority,” said Trudeau.

Marsh has a hearing impairment and a brain injury from testing a bazooka during his time training in Petawawa. While he was offered a lump sum payment at the time, he wasn’t offered any help for his brain injury.

“With Justin Trudeau’s new proposal, what it means is finally we’ll have a choice between lump sums and a pension and this is so important for new veterans. You can’t support a family on any lump sum…that would impossible,” said Marsh.

The tories have had a rocky relationship with veterans in recent years. Last November, 36-year-veteran Ron Clarke, launched his “Anybody But Conservative” campaign at a news conference on Parliament Hill, and has been campaigning across Atlantic Canada. Clarke, alongside veteran and advocate Michael Blais, were pushing the government to grant veterans a pension, rather than granting lump sums, and also asking that the closed nine veterans affairs offices be reopened.

In January, Erin O’Toole replaced then embattled veterans affairs minister Julian Fantino, who had engaged in fighting matches with angry veterans and famously dodged questions from one veteran’s spouse on camera.

While O’Toole has displayed a markedly stronger relationship with veterans, the same issues around re-opening closed veterans affairs offices and granting pensions remain.

In terms of the Conservatives treatment of veterans regarding benefits, Marsh said, “you don’t do that to people who go over and fend for us and give us our freedom, that’s wrong. But I would say [Trudeau’s] plan is absolutely wonderful.”

Blais said he was “so happy” following Trudeau’s announcement.

“I wanted to hear Mr. Trudeau tell the public what he told me in private and I’m pleased to say he made an excellent platform, every issue we’ve been fighting for the past five years have been addressed,” said Blais, who travelled to the announcement from Niagara.

“Everything he spoke to fulfills that sacred obligation. Trudeau has honoured the sacrifice,” said Blais, adding that we can’t forget the Liberal Party brought in the controversial New Veterans Charter, so “it took a lot of courage for Trudeau to fix it and fix it he did.”

Trudeau’s plan includes:

$20 million to create two new veterans’ care centres.

$100 annually to expand support for families of veterans, including education and counseling.

$25 million to expand the Permanent Impairment Allowance for the most seriously wounded.

$40 million to increase the Earnings Loss Benefit to 90 per cent from 75 per cent of a soldier’s pre-release salary.

Increase the veteran survivor’s pension amount to 70 per cent from 50 per cent.

Double funding to the Last Post Fund for the burial of veterans.

In Belleville, Trudeau said a “fully costed platform” would be released in coming weeks to show how the Liberal plan would be funded in the event that he’s elected.